Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksi Reznikov has rejected claims that the Ukrainian authorities were involved in the sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipeline in Baltic waters in September last year. Several publications have pointed out that the attack was perpetrated by six people from a yacht rented from a Poland-based company owned by two Ukrainians.
For me it's a bit strange this story. It has nothing to do with us and the official investigation will describe all the details. It is not our activity,'' said Reznikov upon his arrival at the meeting of European defense ministers in Sweden about the press publications on the origin of the attack.
The declarations by Reznikov come after the US newspaper 'The New York Times' pointed out that the US Intelligence has reports on the participation of a pro-Ukrainian group in the sabotage. An investigation by the German press points out that the attack was perpetrated from a Ukrainian yacht rented in Poland.
In response to Ukraine's disassociation with any connection with the attack on the Russian gas pipeline, the European Union and NATO have avoided making any statement, stressing that national investigations must be allowed to progress in order to clarify this episode which occurred in the Baltic Sea.
"I cannot give an opinion on things for which I do not have clear evidence and information,'' said the EU High Representative for Foreign Policy, Josep Borrell, from Stockholm when asked about this case.
NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, who was also in Stockholm on Tuesday asked to wait for the final result of the investigations. "There are ongoing investigations and I don't think it is right to speculate who is behind it until the investigations and inquiries have been concluded,'' he said.
Stoltenberg stressed that this is an "attack" against critical infrastructure in Europe and highlights the vulnerabilities of these resources, such as Internet cables or gas pipelines, important for modern societies.
Despite the claims and investigations, some experts believe that the recent reports may be a diversionary tactic. It remains to be seen what conclusions will be drawn from the ongoing investigations, but it is clear that the attack on the Nord Stream gas pipeline has highlighted the importance of securing critical infrastructure in Europe.
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